Debbie Dingell

ANN ARBOR, MI — Residents and officials gathered Monday to mark early achievements in transforming Ann Arbor’s Bryant neighborhood into what organizers say could become the nation’s first fully decarbonized, lower-income community.

The Aug. 10 event highlighted energy improvements made to nearly 100 homes in the neighborhood so far under a pilot project.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, joined residents, city officials and experts for a walking tour showcasing energy-efficiency upgrades, solar panel installations and battery storage systems that have lowered energy costs while improving home comfort and safety.

The Bryant initiative is part of Ann Arbor’s A2Zero plan to achieve communitywide carbon neutrality.

Elaine Jordan, a Bryant resident who has benefited from the program, said it’s inspiring to see all the work being done and neighbors are thankful for needed improvements to their homes.

Dingell emphasized the practical challenges facing families in the neighborhood and similar communities.

“Climate change isn’t just a buzzword, it’s real,” she said. “The weather pattern changes that we are experiencing are real changes that people need help dealing with, especially considering a lot of families in communities like Bryant and many others simply can’t afford to pay their utility bills.”

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The project addresses issues ranging from insulation and air sealing to roof replacements, drainage problems, appliance upgrades, and gas and water leaks. The work centers on resident input, said Missy Stults, the city’s sustainability director.

“Climate action is for all and Bryant is showing the U.S. what is possible when we work together to tackle the seemingly impossible,” she said.

The program operates through partnerships between residents, the nonprofit Community Action Network and the city and its recently launched Ann Arbor Sustainable Energy Utility. It draws funding from local, state, federal and philanthropic sources.

A $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy will support a community geothermal heating and cooling system for homes in the neighborhood. Dingell submitted a letter supporting the project to the Department of Energy in 2024.

Shoshannah Lenski, executive director of the city’s first-of-its-kind energy utility, said participants will save money while gaining backup power during outages.

“The technology is proven – but the service model that makes it accessible to anyone is brand new,” Lenski said. “That’s why investment and partnership is critical at this stage: to demonstrate and help scale these benefits to all.”

Bentley Johnson, federal government affairs director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, which helped organize Monday’s event, said projects like Bryant’s address urgent needs as energy costs climb.

“For Michigan families facing an impossible choice of paying the electric bill or putting food on the table, projects that weatherize homes and install solar panels can be a lifesaver,” Johnson said. “All policymakers should be supporting these investments and opposing the Trump administration’s attack on clean energy and climate action.”

Generative AI was used to organize information for this story based on information provided by the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. It was reviewed and edited by MLive.